The standard political reply to that question might well have been, “My patriotism speaks for itself.”

But Obama didn’t say that.

Instead the Illinois senator answered the question at length, explaining that he no longer wears such a pin, at least in part, because of the Iraq War.

“You know, the truth is that right after 9/11, I had a pin,” Obama said. “Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we’re talking about the Iraq War, that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security, I decided I won’t wear that pin on my chest.”

And now, he doesn’t wear it on his plane, either.

So, on the understanding that true patriotism means taking the American flag off of everything, we continue the great patriotic tradition of removing the flag.

Of course, Obama – after his refusal to wear the flag became a damaging issue – soon after started wearing it constantly. That was one of the early signs of what a pandering flip-flopper he would so graphically become.

Barack Obama – and those liberals who think like him – remind me of the pseudo-intellectuals who say, “Thomas Jefferson said that dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” It just sounds like such a great discussion-ending slam-sunk point in their favor, until you realize that in actual fact Jefferson never said any such thing. It was actually coined by a leftist historian who opposed America’s involvement in fighting the war on terror.

I can just see Sir Winston Churchill opining: “You know, dear boy, right after Dunkirk, I had a pin…”